Polymers of 2-oxazolines are known to be hydrophilic water-soluble materials. These polymers have utility as adhesion promoters and viscosity modifiers. Unfortunately, however, these polymers when formed into solid articles such as films exhibit poor mechanical properties. For example, dried films of 2-oxazoline polymers are too brittle to be useful in many applications and water often causes dissolution of such films.
Despite mechanical problems which limit the utility of these polymers, 2-oxazoline polymers have many desirable properties and it would be advantageous if they could be utilized in a film construction. The problem therefore is to pprovide a film construction containing a 2-oxazoline polymer that takes advantage of the desirable properties of this polymer and yet exhibits sufficient mechanical and physical properties to be of practical use. This problem has been overcome with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,833 discloses miscible blends of poly-2-oxazolines and thermoplastic polymers. These blends are described as being useful as membranes for separating components of liquid mixtures such as water/ethanol or ethanol/hexane mixtures.